From the Washington Submit, November 1, 2023: “The American Ornithological Society (AOU) says it’s going to alter the names of North American birds named after people, beginning with as much as 80 of them.” Their justifications are that the names are of individuals with unfavourable reputations – endorsing or collaborating in slavery, for instance – and that the names will not be descriptive. Let me ponder these causes a bit.
The statues of civil conflict heroes of the South, plaques bearing names of racists, and even Thomas Jefferson, a slave proprietor, have been eliminated in the previous couple of years. These monuments had been positioned there by civic teams or governments, representing numbers of individuals. Hen names, like Scott’s Oriole, named after Main Basic Winfield Scott by Darius Sofa, a U.S. Civil Warfare normal, to commemorate his superior within the Mexican-American Warfare, Basic Winfield Scott, had been named by one particular person. Are we to take away Scott’s identify as a result of a Civil Warfare determine named the chook? LeConte’s sparrow was named by John James Audubon for John Lawrence Leconte, an entomologist. Ought to we take away the latter LeConte’s identify from his sparrow as a result of Audubon honored him? And precisely how will we decide individuals who lived a century or extra in the past? Numerous long-ago ornithologists shot birds, numerous them – how about eliminating their names? The entire enterprise will get tough.
The opposite motive the AOU needs to alter the names is that they don’t seem to be descriptive. Positive, Scott’s Oriole, LeConte’s Sparrow, and Clark’s Grebe don’t let you know a lot in regards to the chook, however neither do the Frequent Crow, Frequent Tern, Whimbrel, Northern Flicker, Killdeer, or King Eider. Is the AOU going to alter all these names now? And what in regards to the Worldwide Ornithological Committee (IOC) that established the official English widespread names of all of the birds of the world? Are they going to simply accept these identify adjustments?
And what about scientific names? Townsend’s Solitaire, named after John Kirk Townsend who collected skulls of Native People, has the scientific identify Myadestes townsendi. To be constant in eliminating offensive names, that identify needs to be modified as properly, however that requires going via the Worldwide Fee on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN).
I feel we must always simply go away the names as they’re. They replicate historical past and albeit, the opinion of 1 man (normally) who did the naming. And, I believe, most birdwatchers don’t have a clue as to who these persons are. (Is Sabine offensive to you – are you aware who he’s?) In addition to the technical and moral points, each discipline information, ebook, and guidelines goes to must be modified. And life-listers will not be going to be pleased to must make these adjustments. These are individuals who gripe as a result of the Purple-shafted and Yellow-shafted Glints obtained lumped into the Northern Flicker.
OK, I perceive the motivation and reasoning of those that wish to make these adjustments. And there are many different areas of American society that may deserve these adjustments – 1441 federally-recognized place-names include racist or sexist slurs. We’ve modified the names of sports activities groups however there are a whole bunch of faculty buildings and college mascots that in all probability want altering.
However altering chook names? Is that basically crucial?
P.S. As I used to be penning this weblog, one in all my readers despatched me this remark:
“Truly Adam named each animal on the planet In accordance with God’s Phrase in Genesis chapter 2 verse 18 -20.”
That might remedy this complete situation of naming……
